Signal processing method and signal processing apparatus

Abstract

A signal processing method includes obtaining, by a signal processing apparatus, a network delay time with respect to a device connected to the signal processing apparatus via a network, obtaining an input signal, determining an allowable upper limit of a delay time for an output signal corresponding to the obtained input signal based on the obtained network delay time and a total allowable delay time, selecting a signal processing having a longest delay time that is less than or equal to the allowable upper limit of the delay time, performing the selected signal processing on the obtained input signal, and transmitting the obtained input signal on which the selected signal processing has been performed, as the output signal, to the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A signal processing method comprising:
 obtaining, by a signal processing apparatus, a network delay time with respect to a device connected to the signal processing apparatus via a network; 
 obtaining an input signal; 
 determining an allowable upper limit of a delay time for an output signal corresponding to the obtained input signal based on the obtained network delay time and a total allowable delay time; 
 selecting, from among a plurality of different signal processing operations respectively having a plurality of different delay times from each other, a first signal processing operation among the plurality of different signal processing operations having a longest delay time among the plurality of different delay times that is less than or equal to the allowable upper limit of the delay time; 
 performing the first signal processing operation on the obtained input signal; and 
 transmitting the obtained input signal on which the first signal processing operation has been performed, as the output signal, to the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network. 
 
     
     
       2. The signal processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of different signal processing operations includes processing to temporarily store data corresponding to the obtained input signal before signal processing is performed on the obtained input signal; and 
 in the first signal processing operation, a first amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal that is to be temporarily stored, and in a second signal processing operation among the plurality of different signal processing operations, a second amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal is to be temporarily stored, the second amount of data being less than the first amount of data. 
 
     
     
       3. The signal processing method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal that is to be temporarily stored is determined based on the longest delay time that is less than or equal to the allowable upper limit of the delay time. 
     
     
       4. The signal processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first signal processing operation includes determining a target signal, based on the obtained input signal, and causing the target signal to pass. 
     
     
       5. The signal processing method according to  claim 4 , wherein the determining the target signal is performed by a machine-learned neural network. 
     
     
       6. The signal processing method according to  claim 4 , wherein the determining the target signal includes determination of voice or noise. 
     
     
       7. The signal processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein the first signal processing operation includes processing to reduce the noise. 
     
     
       8. The signal processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first signal processing operation includes facial recognition processing; 
 the obtained input signal includes a video signal; and 
 the facial recognition processing includes auto framing processing to extract a face image from the video signal. 
 
     
     
       9. The signal processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the network delay time is obtained based on information included in a protocol used for communication with the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network. 
     
     
       10. The signal processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the network delay time is obtained at a start of a connection with the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network. 
     
     
       11. A signal processing apparatus comprising:
 a memory configured to store instructions; and 
 a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to cause the signal processing apparatus to: 
 obtain a network delay time with respect to a device connected to the signal processing apparatus via a network; 
 obtain an input signal; 
 determine an allowable upper limit of a delay time for an output signal corresponding to the obtained input signal based on the obtained network delay time and a total allowable delay time; 
 select, from among a plurality of different signal processing operations respectively having a plurality of different delay times from each other, a first signal processing operation among the plurality of different signal processing operations having a longest delay time among the plurality of different delay times that is less than or equal to the allowable upper limit of the delay time; 
 perform the first signal processing operation on the obtained input signal; and 
 transmit the obtained input signal on which the first signal processing operation has been performed, as the output signal, to the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network. 
 
     
     
       12. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of different signal processing operations includes processing to temporarily store data corresponding to the obtained input signal before signal processing is performed on the obtained input signal; and 
 in the first signal processing operation, a first amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal that is to be temporarily stored, and in a second signal processing operation among the plurality of different signal processing operations, a second amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal is to be temporarily stored, the second amount of data being less than the first amount of data. 
 
     
     
       13. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , the first amount of data corresponding to the obtained input signal that is to be temporarily stored is determined based on the longest delay time that is less than or equal to the allowable upper limit of the delay time. 
     
     
       14. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first signal processing operation includes determining a target signal, based on the obtained input signal, and causing the target signal to pass. 
     
     
       15. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining the target signal is performed by a machine-learned neural network. 
     
     
       16. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining the target signal includes determination of voice or noise. 
     
     
       17. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the first signal processing operation includes processing to reduce the noise. 
     
     
       18. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first signal processing operation includes facial recognition processing; 
 the obtained input signal includes a video signal; and 
 the facial recognition processing includes auto framing processing to extract a face image from the video signal. 
 
     
     
       19. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the network delay time is obtained based on information included in a protocol used for communication with the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network. 
     
     
       20. The signal processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the network delay time is obtained at a start of a connection with the device connected to the signal processing apparatus via the network.